Quick Dips

"Nature" Talks

John Maddox, editor of the prestigious UK journal "Nature", will speak at two NZ conferences this month. Mr Maddox will give a public lecture at Victoria University on August 20th, and participate in a panel discussion on science policy at the annual conference of the NZ Institute of Chemistry.

The conference, co-sponsored by the NZ Biochemical Society and the Society of Plant Physiologists, will be closed by Mr Maddox with a lecture entitled "Is Biology now a branch of Chemistry?"

On August 18th, Mr Maddox will address the NZ Skeptics Conference in Palmerston North concerning the dubious benefits of homeopathy. In 1988, "Nature" reported research claiming a scientific basis to homeopathy. The research was later questioned and found wanting.